From Germany to graduation: Jenny's online study journey

Returning to study with UC wasn’t an option for Jenny Xu — until the online Postgraduate Certificate in Strategic Leadership became available. Through Tuihono UC | UC Online, she completed her postgraduate certificate all the way from Germany, studying around her full-time business career. 

Now returning home for graduation, Jenny reflected on her online study journey — and how the PGCertStratLdrship has helped her reach new opportunities. 

Jenny was inspired to return to study after reaching a plateu in her international business career. To move into senior management and director-level positions in Germany, she realised she needed new skills — and a postgraduate qualification.

"UC Online's Postgraduate Certificate in Strategic Leadership offered me the perfect opportunity to 'test the waters' as a mature student without abandoning my career path," she says.

12 hour time difference? No problem

Studying online around full-time work, Jenny quickly learned the importance of planning and organisation.

“While the 12-hour time difference meant I had to plan my inquiries in advance, the facilitators were always supportive. By choice, I occasionally joined live online sessions at 2:00 AM or 3:00 AM, though I appreciated that recorded sessions were always available as an alternative!" 

With her job requiring frequent travel across time-zones, Jenny knew she'd have to find professional development that could be accessed anywhere, anytime — which ended up benefiting her in other ways. 

"During my studies, I also faced some personal and health difficulties. The ability to study flexibly allowed me to stay focused and keep moving forward. In many ways, this program 'saved' my 2025—it helped me achieve the seemingly impossible by giving me a clear goal to focus on."

A rewarding return to study

Jenny found returning to study as an established professional incredibly rewarding. 

"The curriculum is clearly designed for the real world, making it the perfect fit for those of us with established leadership backgrounds. I especially valued the diverse perspectives of the academic and industry experts, who brought a mix of high-level academic and practical business experience to the table." 

The programme also allowed her to bring her own professional challenges into her learning, helping her build confidence and think about future study pathways.

"Most importantly, the journey was a process of self-discovery," she says. "I learned as much about my own resilience and potential as I did about strategic leadership."

Growing into a new role